I remember my grandfather's reaction to the the first manned landing on the moon. He cried. He was a blacksmith by trade and had a great respect for making things that had functional value. He was so pleased that in his lifetime he saw something so spectacular. For my part, I can't wait to see what comes next. As humans all on the same planet, I think it's going to be an adventure to see how we manage the shrinking of our world because of technology. I see these as exciting times.

This is why it is helpful to have a child. You spend the first fifteen years of their life teaching them everything you know and they spend the next fifty trying to keep you from getting too far behind. Our job is easier than theirs.

Not sure I buy the "information explosion" thing... I think much of it may be more like a "noise" explosion. And the population explosion is real of course. At any rate it is comforting to know that no matter how much noise blows around us it will always be the simple human things that matter.

I'm getting too old to try and keep up. I think I'll go do something that's becoming obsolete and be happy with it. Something like making wooden bicycle wheels. Or teaching honesty in banking or government.

Think Tanks do this kind of research and that piece did not reveal much about the research.

From my perspective, in science and technology and engineering, the best schools are still here in the U.S. Maybe part of the reason is that the U.S. Government (Congress) allocates an annual budget of a little over 6 billion to fund research. You can find this out by visiting the National Science Foundation.

Ideas require fertile ground to grow. In my travels I've found that what Asia gets in sheer numbers it also looses in inefficient and corrupt bureaucracies. They will grow, but all is not lost for us. Nothing wrong with Asia "per se" but don't discount the western world.

What is clear is that the days of a single country dominating knowledge are over. We better learn to leverage and cooperate other people's good ideas. Immigration of good minds is one thing we can do, teaching our kids to think outside the box is another. Running scared is definitely not going to help anyone. The mid-20th century was a total one-of fluke when the US with less than 5 per cent of the world population had 25 per cent plus of world GDP. That is nearly impossible to sustain indefinitely.

We need to concentrate on applying all that tech and science to ensuring a sustainable, good quality of life and competitiveness on per-capita basis without killing the planet, not absolutes or bragging rights on sheer statistics.

Not sure I buy the "information explosion" thing... I think much of it may be more like a "noise" explosion. And the population explosion is real of course. At any rate it is comforting to know that no matter how much noise blows around us it will always be the simple human things that matter.

Err . . . - you mean like wars and crime - that sort of simple human things that animals don't seem to do much of?

i think the information explosion can be a good thing. what if there is someone in china who discovers a cure for alzheimer's disease and shares it instantly with the global medical community? or 911 calls could be handled more efficiently? the list of possibilities could be endless.

Err . . . - you mean like wars and crime - that sort of simple human things that animals don't seem to do much of?

WTF?.... My you are on a negative tilt today Denver!

I mean like having coffee and conversation with your spouse or going on a family picnic. Or taking delight in a few moments petting the family cat. Or, apropos of this forum, taking a bike ride and looking around as the world goes by.

Not to deny that there are serous world issues of course, but these are the things that each of us retreats to when the world gets overwhelming. Don't you think?

I mean like having coffee and conversation with your spouse or going on a family picnic. Or taking delight in a few moments petting the family cat. Or, apropos of this forum, taking a bike ride and looking around as the world goes by.

Not to deny that there are serous world issues of course, but these are the things that each of us retreats to when the world gets overwhelming. Don't you think?